Throughout history, our cities’ skylines have told the story of human ambition. From ancient pyramids to modern skyscrapers, these landmarks reflect one journey: humanity’s climb upwards.
The challenge now isn’t just to build upward, but to do it smartly, sustainably, and with meaningful social impact. Alat, Saudi Arabia’s advanced manufacturing champion, has taken a decisive step in that direction through its new €160 million venture with European mobility leader TK Elevator, seeking exactly that.
The partnership will manufacture and provide elevator and escalator solutions in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region, anchored by Alat’s industrial platform and global partnerships model, and powered by a shared vision to build the smart cities of tomorrow.
European engineering meets Saudi industrial ambition
Saudi Arabia is no stranger to urban innovation. The Kingdom is rapidly transforming and is integrating cutting-edge architecture with AI-driven mobility and data analytics to enhance daily city life.
The Alat and TK Elevator venture marks the first time a global company will manufacture elevators and escalators locally in Saudi Arabia, with Alat enabling the localisation of advanced mobility technologies in one of the fastest growing and most innovative new installation markets globally.
Through this venture, Alat is further advancing its ambition to build a regional powerhouse for advanced manufacturing, creating a world-class industrial hub in Saudi Arabia and contributing to the Kingdom’s industrial transformation. The partnership leverages TK Elevator’s European engineering excellence while building on Alat’s growing manufacturing ecosystem and local capabilities.
Amit Midha, CEO of Alat, says the partnership is about rethinking how buildings move and breathe, bringing together intelligent vertical mobility with clean energy and AI-led systems to create smarter, more efficient environments. By harnessing data-driven elevator technologies and predictive maintenance powered by artificial intelligence, the venture aims to streamline building flow, cut emissions, and deliver safer, more responsive and accessible experiences for everyone who uses them.
The partnership anchors advanced manufacturing in Saudi Arabia and localises mobility technology while creating high-value jobs through the integration of product development, services and training. Uday Yadav, CEO of TK Elevator, also framed the partnership as essential to meet the surging demand of the Kingdom’s ambitious developments.
Building a smarter city, one lift at a time
Lifts and escalators quietly move billions each day. The new end-to-end elevator and escalator solutions to be produced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offer a glimpse into the future of urban mobility, reimagining traditional systems to deliver more user-friendly and energy-efficient experiences.
Lightweight materials reduce resource needs, while smart sensors and IoT-based monitoring minimise breakdowns and ensure smoother, safer journeys.
TK Elevator’s EOX platform is designed to be both eco-efficient and digitally native. Belt-traction systems lower power consumption, adaptive “eco mode” technology learns traffic patterns, and regenerative braking feeds energy back into the grid, reducing shaft-travel energy use by up to 28 per cent.
Local manufacturing, global standards
Combining TK Elevator’s craftsmanship and Alat’s advanced manufacturing platform, the venture creates a model for the future of industrial innovation, scaling impact across the Middle East.
The facility will be built around advanced, AI-guided systems and follow a framework for responsible, circular production that aligns with both European and Saudi quality and sustainability standards.
The venture is also a catalyst for investment, knowledge exchange, and skills development. It is expected to create high-skilled jobs, embed international expertise in Saudi Arabia’s workforce, and strengthen Alat’s role as a bridge between global technology leaders and the Kingdom’s industrial ecosystem, while opening opportunities for European industry to lead smart infrastructure developments worldwide.
TK Elevator has been listed on the CDP A-List for climate transparency several years running and holds an EcoVadis Gold rating, placing it among the top five per cent of companies rated.
A blueprint for future partnerships
The Alat–TK Elevator venture demonstrates how cross-border collaboration is driving innovation, with Saudi Arabia’s strategic location and strong internal connectivity creating a positive climate for global companies seeking to establish a presence in the region.
Supported by strong institutional alignment and long-term national priorities, Alat is positioned to advance partnerships that accelerate industrialisation, technology localisation and capability building across priority sectors.
Alat has already begun leveraging this model in collaborations with global firms. Its US$150 million partnership with SoftBank aims to establish a next-generation industrial automation business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will manufacture advanced industrial robots, while its US$2 billion partnership with Lenovo aims to make Saudi Arabia a hub for advanced technology manufacturing.
Lenovo is building its largest factory outside China in Riyadh to produce millions of “Saudi Made” laptops, desktops, and servers. The project also includes R&D operations, driving localisation, innovation, and job creation in line with Vision 2030.
Combining European design and engineering expertise, Saudi Arabia’s exciting high-growth market and Vision 2030 ambition, and Alat’s mission to anchor advanced manufacturing in the Kingdom, the Alat–TK Elevator partnership is laying the foundations for tomorrow’s cities: efficient, human-centred hubs underpinned by sustainability, connectivity and global collaboration, where people and infrastructure rise together.
